City news in 250 words

THE COUNTRY’S HEAD OF COUNTER-TERRORISM, Bob Quick, has resigned following a security blunder that triggered a major anti-terror operation in Cheetham Hill, Manchester yesterday. Anti-terror police armed with machine guns arrested four suspects in three homes and an internet café in Cheetham Hill. Police were forced to act after Mr Quick was photographed outside No. 10 carrying top secret documents with clearly visible details.

A LANCASHIRE JEWELLER is selling a diamond-encrusted Easter egg for £350,000. The hen-size egg made of 18-karat gold contains a globe of the Earth and is one of only four created by a German craftsman. Its design is influenced by Russian craftsman Peter Carl Faberge, who made such eggs for the Tsar in the 19th century.

A £3.8 BILLION CONTRACT to recycle Greater Manchester’s waste and turn some of it into fuel to generate electricity, has been signed. The Viridor Laing contract will create 5,000 jobs and enable 50% of the area's waste to be recycled by 2015, according to the Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority (GMWDA). Greater Manchester generates 1.4 million tonnes of waste each year. Over 973,000 households will be involved in the scheme.

THE ARNDALE SHOPPING CENTRE in Manchester has picked the Manchester Standard Award from Word Class Service (WCS) for its customer service, reports Crain's Manchester Business. The Arndale is the first to be handed the award, based on the audit of 364 customer service enquiries and site visits. WCS aims to help firms in the lifestyle sector deliver high quality service.

This 'n' that wisdom*: In competition, nothing is less important than the score at half-time

*Taken from the free calendar available at This 'n' That, Soap Street, Northern Quarter. Those curry meisters are so very very sagacious. How does this wisdom rate? Confidential rating: 9/10